Being Nobody, Going Nowhere - Preface

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This is a simple book for ordinary people who want to ﬁnd greater happiness and contentment in their lives by following a spiritual path. The Buddha’s path is simple and meant for ordinary people; anyone with goodwill and determination can follow its steps toward freedom of heart and mind. Both heart and mind have to be involved in this journey toward liberation from the “self.” The mind understands and concludes, connects and discerns, whereas the heart feels.

When our feelings become free of emotional reactions and dwell in love and compassion as their natural abode, our mind will be open to the great truths of universal signiﬁcance. And the more we refer to these truths, the closer we will get to spiritual emancipation. Hopefully this book can help to point out some steps on the way, according to the Buddha’s teaching, and facilitate the journey.

A ten-day meditation course in Kundasale, Sri Lanka, was the venue for the talks that are published here. Although my name appears as the author, this book could never have been assembled without the help and support of many people, each making their own special contribution.

The students on the course provided the impetus for the talks, and their questions occasioned many of the points mentioned. Stanley Wijegunawardena was the manager and convener of the course and without him this book would not have been possible.